Recipes: shrimp

Mardi Gras inspired me to make something celebratory for dinner, so naturally I thought: Gumbo! But, truth be told, neither French nor Creole cooking are my wheelhouse and not my favorite flavors. So take note that this is likely a sacrilege to gumbo makers and lovers because this soup doesn't start with a roux, doesn't have okra in it and doesn't have file seasoning! But it was Mardi Gras that sparked the idea to make it so I'll still give credit where it's due. And it is DELICIOUS.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz spicy Italian sausage (pork, chicken or plant-based)
• 12 oz peeled, deveined shrimp, defrosted
• 8 oz crab meat
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small, red onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery, peeled and diced
• 1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning + more to your liking
• 2 Bay leaves
• 4 cups Kettle & Fire bone broth (adds mega protein!!), chicken stock or veg stock
• pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• sea salt
• 1 bunch chiffonaded lacinto kale
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Break up and cook sausage over medium heat in a large stock pot. Once browned, remove the sausage to a separate bowl but leave the drippings in the pot.
2. Add the olive oil to the pot
3. Then add onion, carrots, celery and bell pepper, stir to combine and cook about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic, stir to combine and cook another 2 minutes.
5. Add can of diced tomatoes and 2-3 pinches of sea salt, stir to combine.
6. Add the Old Bay seasoning and bay leaves.
7. Cook veg mixture about 10 minutes or until everything gets softer.
8. Add the 4 cups of bone broth or stock and bring to a low boil.
9. Add your cooked sausage back in, defrosted shrimp and crab meat. Stir to combine so the shrimp is fully submerged and cook until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through.
10. Taste and adjust seasoning, add more salt and a pinch of cayenne as desired.
11. Finally, add the chiffonaded kale to the pot, stir to combine and cook until it’s wilted, usually takes from 1-3 minutes.
12. Remove from heat and serve! Eat it like a stew or serve over rice. Top with fresh parsley!

Transparency: I like to share products I actually use and definitely love. And sometimes I will get a small commission if you click these links to buy one too. 

This is summer comfort food at it's best! Somehow it's creamy, soothing and delicious without feeling heavy. Shrimp and corn are a classic combo (grits anyone?) that are upleveled with the flavors of coconut and a little jalapeño kick. The acid from the lime at the end is LIFE!

When asparagus is in season, this salad is a MUST. The bitter of the arugula goes so spectacularly with asparagus and the lemon makes every ingredient in here pop. Shrimp is a super easy protein to prepare, is amazing with avocado and has a lot of bang for its buck. Vegan friends can use a can of rinsed garbanzo beans and it’s an amazing, hearty salad for all! 

This soup was definitely inspired by "Hmmm, what do I have in the kitchen today?" but ended up thick, hearty and soul-satisfying in a way I didn't expect! I think the African-peanut-stew-inspired addition of nut butter and nuts pushed it over the delicious edge and then the Thai-inspired lime juice at the end is EVERYTHING. It's spicy, sweet, sour, astringent and delicious every way you look at it!

Hands-down one of my most favorite dishes to make (and EAT) ever. Risotto is always going to be somewhat labor intensive with the constant stirring and ladling of broth but it's a super fun dish to cook with friends hanging out at the kitchen counter while playing music. In my house, we celebrate the Italian tradition of Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve and this is a family favorite. This is comfort food at its finest and the addition of lemon brings some light, high notes to a rich and creamy dish.

This was one of those OBWs that I had no major expectations about, just an experiment and then I freaked out on how delicious it is, no fewer than 79 times while we ate it. It was ridiculously simple for the depth of flavors and super satisfying texture too. One of those dishes that is somehow dense in satisfaction but light in your system?! Whips up in no time and can easily be made vegan!